Final Fantasy X3: ReDEATH ReBIRTH
by JohnnyLegend
Summary: The Spiral of Death is ever intertwined with Spira, never at any point completely gone. The darkness and an evil within it are slowly engulfing all the life that it can take. Can but a dream stop this destruction, or will it only prolong the inevitable?
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

"If you touch her again... " the tanned boy spoke, gritting his teeth angrily, "... I'll kill you." There was silence in the darkened, ancient room. Tidus stood in front of the door he had used to enter this place. Sweat dripped from his forehead, falling onto his chest, which was covered with scars, and blood which was both his and others. His shirt had been ripped to pieces, leaving only his pants, which had been shredded near the trim. The shoes he wore were quite dirty with the colors quite faded, and his Blitzing armguard managed to stay intact. His exhausted yet well built frame rose and fell noticeably with every breath.

"Hm hm hm... you think I am afraid of _you_, Tidus? Pathetic." The figure laughed. As the cackling died down, Tidus noticed something floating in the air. It was quite dark in the room, so he couldn't make it out. Though uncertain, he thought he could see the silhouette of a person. A woman, in fact. She had a slim build and a sizable bust, a form that most men would be hounding over. With each passing second, his eyes adjusted more and more to the overwhelming darkness. And then he saw her. "**Yuna!**" Taking a step forward, Tidus demanded, "Let her go!"

Again, the figure couldn't help but chuckle at this man's naive bravery. He had to give him credit though, after all he'd gone to hell and back just to save her. To save the love of his life. But she was the love of his life as well. "Hm hm... protective, aren't we?"

She seemed lifeless. She wasn't moving at all. "Y-Yuna….." He stuttered. Anger started to take him completely, and he screamed "What have you done with her?!" Unable to bear the sight of his lover in such a state, he fell to his knees.

"Don't worry. I haven't killed her--yet." The shadowy figure edged slowly to Tidus.

In a rage, Tidus bolted from the ground, wielding his two fine swords, the Brotherhood and Caladbolg. The Brotherhood, a mesmerizing weapon, had a blade that looked as though it was made entirely of water. On the backside of the weapon, where the hand guard would normally be, was a dragon head that looked as though it was enveloping the blade. A round, yellow jewel was made to be its eye. The handle was wrapped in a creamy white material, and the black hilt had a long, red ribbon tied onto its end. His other sword, Caladbolg, though beautiful in its articulate design, was one of the catalysts that made this current situation possible. It's blade, a celestial blue, emanated as one of the only light sources in the dark chamber. The sharper side of the blade had a portion jutting out near the bottom over the handle, acting as a hand guard. The gold along the center of it only added to its wondrous, mysterious nature.

"Let Yuna **go**!" With impatience Tidus attempted to strike the man, though the result did not pay off. As the blade was about to sever him in two, the adversary swiftly took hold of the backside of the sword and moving with the momentum spun Tidus around and threw him into the wall.

As Tidus began pulling himself up, the man replied to his request, sounding almost remorseful, "I'm sorry, I want this no more than you, however it must be done. There is no other way to stop it, you know that." Raising his hand, Yuna's body suddenly jolted in her levitated position. Moving his hand forward, Yuna in turn began to move ahead. Eventually, she ended up on top of a simple stone table that was atop the small set of stairs in the middle of the room. She began to whimper, however she was quickly silenced after being struck to the face. The sound resonated in the room. "Quiet, please. It will be over soon." In contrast with his actions, he spoke rather gently.

Flinching at the sharp sound of the strike, Tidus's hatred for this man grew even more. It was hard to find the strength to pull himself up. Even using his swords as a crutch helped only a little. All the trials, all the losses he'd faced to reach this room were unbearable, and he was still surprised at the strength of his own willpower. How he kept moving forward, he couldn't answer.

Yuna let out another small cry, again shut up by a slap to the face. "You bastard, if you lay another hand on her, I'll carve your heart out!" Such words would have shocked the old Tidus, however all that he'd gone through had crafted a darker, fouler Tidus that had begun to lose sight of morals and values. A crimson aura began to shroud the Caladbolg, while the Brotherhood's oceanic glow began to dim.

Rather calm, the enigma replied, "Can the dead have a heart?" Tidus was taken aback by his words. Finally pushing himself up to his feet, he spoke, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Why don't you see for yourself?" At that moment, the cloaked figure snapped their fingers, causing two torches to light up fierce, blue flames. All was visible now, all that had been veiled could be seen. The archaic architecture, the worn yet artfully made stone pillars and walls, all which had words and letters etched into them in a language unknown to the young blonde man. Before looking anywhere else, Tidus's eyes darted to Yuna, whom was not completely in his sight. There were a number of bruises on her arms and legs along with cuts and gashes of various sizes. Most were at least a few hours old, though some were quite fresh, made only in the past ten minutes. The glistening crimson proved that. Tidus whispered Yuna's name softly in desperation.

Ignoring the growing pain in his body, Tidus shouted, "Who are you?!"

In a simple reply, "You already know who I am. I'm Fayt, remember?"

"That's not you're damn true name! Take off your hood," Tidus howled, "let me see who you are!"

Silence filled the room. Yuna was trying her best to not let anything pass her lips, as it seemed she grew tired of being beaten. Regardless of his aching body, Tidus was about to charge until the reply was heard, "I suppose the least I can do is heed your last request." Turning to face Tidus, it continued on, "Are you sure this is what you want? I was hoping to stay anonymous 'til the end. But after all you've been through to reach her-- "

"Shut the hell up and show me!"

The figure stood still for a moment before looking back into Yuna's eyes. Her bi-colored orbs were filled with fear, hate, sadness, confusion. Not able to stand her pathetic gaze any longer, it shied its face away from her and shot towards Tidus. Without saying a word, its hands reached for the hood screening his identity from the world. Slowly it was lowered behind its head, revealing the person underneath.

Tidus's eyes widened in shock. "No... no. _No_!" His voice gradually rose from a low mutter to a deafening boom. "What the hell is going on?! This is a lie! You're not--you're not supposed to... " Dropping to his knees, his eyes remained locked on to this person, this individual who no longer hid under a mask. The secret was out. Though at this point, Tidus wished he was still lost in lies and obscure, bleak questions.

"So... you remember me."


	2. Chapter 1: A Dream Awakened

**CHAPTER 1: A Dream Awakened**

A brown haired woman was spread out on the magnificent flowers of the Farplane. She was breathing in the scent of the plants as the wind gently blew through her hair. That same breeze carried numerous petals and leaves with it, making them dance gracefully through the air. The woman, lazily watching the myriad of colored blades, lied where she was thinking of everything that had happened, all that she had been put through, all that she had accomplished, all the things she had done. She lay there, thinking of him.

She slowly picked herself off the ground, wiping the dust from her clothes. The sound of rushing water could be heard, along with a giant waterfall that was overlooked by the floating landmass that she was settled upon. The sky never changed here. It always remained a tranquil mix of orange and purple. It was almost as if the sun was trying to push its way passed the horizon, however in one way or another got stuck. Rainbows were scattered all around, hiding amongst the few clouds and arching over the ocean. It was a beautiful sight, and the woman wished to never leave this place. But she had to.

Then she heard a whistle. Rather startled, she turned around, frantically scanning the area for the source. Her fingers quickly went to her mouth, and as she was about to blow, she stopped. This was silly. It couldn't be him, she thought. I've run with this game long enough, it's not possible. He was never really… he was just a dream.

Despite her reasoning, her naïve hope got the better of her.

_Tweeet!_

For a moment, nothing. Then it came again. An uncontrollable smile crossed her face, and instantly she replied in the same way.

_Tweeet! Tweet!_

After that point, she heard nothing. Though it didn't matter. He was here. Perhaps not visibly, but he was in her heart. To know that was good enough for her. As she turned to leave, a voice broke the calm, "Thank you, Lady Yuna."

A young boy in strange purple clothing appeared directly behind Yuna. It was one of the Fayth. As usual, his image was rather faded, like a faulty sphere recording. But she was always happy to receive a visit from him. Although they took something away from her, she was not angry with them. They had been dreaming for a long time. They just wanted rest. She understood that.

"You are very welcome." She replied, placing her hands behind her back, smiling at him.

"You heard it, didn't you?" His gaze remained on her. Yuna was confused at first, but it didn't take long to understand. "You want to see him again, right?" He asked again. Yuna gulped anxiously, thinking she knew who he meant, but didn't want to get her hopes up.

"Him?"

"Yes. You want to walk together again, do you not?" Floating there, he waited for her answer. He did not have to wait long.

"O-of _course!_" She blurted, adrenaline racing through her body. The excitement was too much to bear. Her hands and legs were vigorously shaking.

The boy smiled warmly, "I cannot promise anything, but we'll do what we can." And with that, the Fayth disappeared.

Yuna stood there, absolutely astonished. Would he really come back? Or was this just something to boost her hopes, only to make her fall again? She pondered the hundreds of questions racing around her mind as she made her way out of the Farplane, down the steps back into Guadosalam. What she failed to notice, however, was the large gathering of Pyreflies in one area, recreating a familiar face.

A massive crowd was gathered in Luca stadium, completely filling all the seats and then some. They were all awaiting the speech that was to be given today. As the anticipation began to build, three men finally came up to the main podium: Nooj, Baralai, and Gippal, leaders from their respective groups. They all shared the same platform, no longer separated by conflicting beliefs or values. They cleared their throats as the talking and chatter started to die down. Nooj held up his hand, finally ready to speak.

"Once my friends and I dreamt of flying. We would sail a ship, with me as its captain. In time, I became that captain. I found a new ship with new friends. That ship was the Youth League." Roughly a third of the crowd roared, waving their arms in the air.

Baralai walked up to the front, and also spoke. "Others chose a different captain, their boat was New Yevon." Appropriately, another third of the crowd applauded his words. Gippal walked up, speaking to everyone, "You know, I realize I'm like a lot of you people. We want a captain. And we want a ship to ride, but more important than that, really, we all want to ride together!"

The Al Bhed in the crowd, went crazy, chanting Gippal's name. Even a number of others couldn't help but shout.

"There are some things you can't do alone, but they become easy with friends beside you!" The Praetor, smiling, put his arms around his friends.

"That is a lesson we all learned when we launched those ships." Nooj said as he adjusted his half moon spectacles.

"It was power, and we misused that power. We turned our friends and followers against each other." Baralai, ashamed, frowned at this point.

"Forgive us." It was all Nooj could say as he hung his head down in shame.

The crowd went silent, stopping their crazy, rowdy behavior. They recognized the humility of not only their own leaders, but the remaining two that were supposedly their enemies. Nonetheless, a hint of dissatisfaction could be sensed.

"Somehow we forgot. There's a much larger ship out there. One we've been riding ever since we were born. That ship is Spira." Baralai brought the people back with these words, and they were met with great enthusiasm. "No one knows where our voyage will lead us, but we do know this: One way or another, we will get by. We will go on living. The Calm will continue." With his last addition to the speech, Nooj put on a smile for everyone.

Gippal cut in, "Just one more, thing." Before continuing, he darted to Baralai, trapping him in a head lock and giving him a playful noogie. Baralai finally managed to push him off, trying to look insulted, but ended up laughing hysterically. "We all owe a thanks to a _very_ special lady!" Everyone went wild. For a guy who said so little, he sure could get a crowd moving. "Yeah, you all know who I'm talking about!" Gippal grinned, "We really hoped that she could be here today…"

Gippal pulled out a small slip of paper, with some writing on it. He held it out to the crowd, "She said she's going home. So farewell, but not good-bye!"

The crimson Al Bhed ship, the Celcius, lifted into the air with the engines thundering. Luca looked beautiful from above, Yuna thought. She was kneeling on the deck with her best friends, Rikku and Paine. As they got higher, they could see the crowd going wild, and their cry of love and appreciation could be heard. "See you next time kiddies! **Yee haw!**" Brother's voice boomed through the intercom, nearly matching the revving airship.

"Did we really have to leave like this?" Rikku whined, crossing her arms over her chest. "Just think of the party we're missing!" Paine leaned against the side of the ship, scoffing, "Hmph, I think we party enough, don't you?" Rikuu's hand moved over her mouth as she giggled.

Yuna smiled, finally standing to her feet, trying to yell into the CommSphere over the loud machine, "Brother, higher!" She ran to the side railings, watching the ground grow smaller as they ascended.

"Roger!" Luca was getting shrinking by the second, but that wasn't good enough for Yuna.

"Brother, faster!"

"Rogerrr!"

She teased, "I can't hear you!"

"**Rogggeeerrrr!**" The ship's overdrive finally kicked in, and the Celcius blasted away into the sky.

Paine and Rikku walked towards the deck door, calling to their friend, "Yuna, you coming?"

Yuna was gazing at the sea, looking rather dreamy. "I'll be just a minute, ok!" Both of them stared at her with curiosity, then turned around and entered the ship. As Yuna heard the doors close, she sighed, standing straight again. She was thinking of everything, and especially of what the Fayth had said.

Happiness—no, joy filled her heart at the thought of him. The idea of him being here with her in a tangible form was so surreal. After years of searching, it all came down to this. She imagined him being there, by her side. A coy smile formed on her face and she shied away in different directions as if he truly was with her. Conversations began forming in her head, things that they'd talk about if she ever saw him again. She supposed one of his first questions would be what started this whole career as a Sphere Hunter, something that was so unlike the Yuna he'd known during the pilgrimage years.

_Well, you see, it all started when I saw this sphere of you…_

A body, curled like a child waiting in a mother's womb, lay below the depths of the ocean. It was a man, one with golden tanned skin and dirty blonde hair. He wore strange attire, most of which would have seemed quite out of place two years ago. Many changes had taken place since then, however. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. His cerulean blue orbs reflected the light cutting through the water, making them shimmer in a unique way not normally attainable on land. The rays of the sun began to warm his body, though it did not completely protect him from the chilling azure waters. Becoming more conscious of where he was, the man began to straighten out. Looking left, looking right, all around he saw nothing but the far reaches of the ocean. It was one of his favorite places to be.

He broke the surface of the sea, finally feeling the full heat of the sun on his wet face. It was good to see sunlight again—anything, actually. Waves gently lapped against and around his body as he began to wonder where he was. Was he back in Zanarkand? Spira? Some other realm that he'd yet to hear of? Was any of this even real? He scanned his surroundings, trying to catch a glimpse of anything besides all this large expanse of liquid. And he did.

An island was not far off from where he was. It looked rather familiar. There was no way. But it was. Besaid Island was just within his reach, not a few hundred meters away. That was the place where everything truly began to unravel in his story. In her story. He whistled, waiting for a reply, but there was none. That was fine. He was back, back home, and he was sure he'd get the chance to hear it personally. Unable to contain himself, the man broke out into an eccentric swimming pattern and began rushing towards the land mass.

It took some time, but he finally made it to shore. Falling to his knees, the man felt the sand scorching his skin. He didn't care, though. After all, he'd actually made back here. The fresh coastal air entered his nostrils, filling him with a euphoric sensation that he hadn't felt in a long time. The trees were still standing, the rock cliffs and ruins unchanged. This was definitely it. Seeing everyone on this beautiful isle was his first and top priority. Above all else, however, he had to see her.

He couldn't contain his excitement any longer. The man began dancing, shouting and yelping with joyous bliss. Before he could run off down the island road though, he heard a peculiar noise, quite out of place from the serene surroundings. Fiends? It couldn't be. In the time he'd spent in this strange world, he'd never heard a beast like that. The next thing that came to his mind was machina. Wait, machina? In Spira. Placing his feet firmly on the sand, he turned around to the origin of the noise.

Not far off, the man could see an airship. Instinctively, though not truly sure why, he dashed back into the shallows of the water. As it drew nearer, he could see someone standing near the railings of the deck. It was a woman. But not just any woman.

Besaid was becoming ever closer. Yuna couldn't describe the feeling of seeing her home again. She would finally have the chance to have the rest and relaxation that she deserved. For the duration of the ride across the ocean she'd been on the deck. She didn't want to go inside. She loved it out here, loved being outside. Her heart could think of no other place she'd love to be than the magnificent island she was raised on. It carried all of the people she loved and had absolutely breath taking scenery. In her opinion, it was the greatest place in all of Spira.

As the engines died down, she sighed and turned back towards the hangar door. She was about to go in, but she stopped. She heard something out of the ordinary. There it was again. It couldn't be. A whistle?

Yuna ran back to the railing, hearing it once again. Fumbling with her fingers, they got into her mouth and she blew, whistling in reply. It was returned with another one of those pleasing sounds. Her eyes looked down to the shoreline of Besaid. They rolled over a person, someone standing in the water. Her heart leaped inside her chest upon the realization of who it was.

Tidus.

Yuna bolted through the giant doorway, dashing for the elevator. Upon entering it, she immediately made it go down to the hatch level. "C'mon! Can't this thing go any faster!"

Paine was impatiently waiting for the elevator to come to her, tapping her foot to a rhythm forming in her head. The light above the door finally flashed, signaling the elevator had made it. "I wonder what took Yuna so—" her thoughts were cut short as she was trampled along the ground. She just lied where she was, not attempting to move. Yuna didn't even seem to notice her at all. Confusion jumbled Paine's thoughts, "Did I miss something?"

Yuna was at the bottom of the ship, waiting as the hatch door slowly revealed the outside. Come on, _come on!_ She didn't wait for it to go down completely. When there was just enough room for her to go, she jumped through, down into the water below.

Rikku came bouncing over to the seemingly unconscious Paine. "What's wrong, Dr. P?" She asked, obviously curious as to made Paine so vulnerable on the ground. As she seemed to be gathering her thoughts, Paine spurted out, "Yuna!"

"Yuna?"

"Yuna!" Paine repeated. Leaping onto her feet, she took hold of Rikuu's hand. "This way!"

Yuna struggled to move speedily, pushing herself to go faster through the deep water. She hadn't swam as much as she would have liked, so it was a little frustrating. But soon, she edged towards the shore, her clothes dripping wet as she finally stepped out of the ocean. She ran to him, ran as hard and fast as humanly possible. Despite being in such great shape, the adrenaline in her body had been going for a long time, and caused her to use more energy than she could spend. But she made it. She finally reached him, almost jumping on him as she wrapped her arms around his chest. Tidus returned this gesture ,hugging her around the neck. They both just stood there, taking in each other's presence after being parted for so long.

The ex-Summoner finally looked at him, remembering his tanned face, his blonde hair, his strong body. Tidus gazed at the woman in front of him, taking in her beauty, all that she was; her chestnut brown hair, her slim build, those precious green and blue eyes. They embraced again.

Yuna asked somewhat hesitantly, "Are you real?"

"I think so." There was a short pause. "Do I pass?" A smile crept on his face. Yuna backed away so that they were face to face.

She nodded, a little unsure, but had faith. And it was all the faith she needed. "You're back." A few stray tears made their way down her face.

"I am back. I'm home."

Yuna wrapped herself around his waist, not wanting to ever let go. "Welcome home." She paused for a moment, analyzing her words articulately, "Yes… home."

What the two didn't see was a pair of giddy girls watching them. Paine, though usually cold, couldn't help but stifle a giggle. The silence was finally broken by the two lovers as they heard a familiar, Besadian voice.

"Eh! Get a room, you two!" Tidus and Yuna turned towards the shore, surprised to see Wakka and Lulu backed by the entire population of the island. Every single one of them was hooting and hollering at the top of their lungs, both for Lady Yuna and the man that had done so much for them. Wakka smoothly waved his hand with a goofy grin on his face. "Wassup?"

"Who asked you to watch Wakka?" Unfolding himself from Yuna, but still holding her hand, Tidus let out a laugh. Wakka turned to his wife in a humorous fashion as if he was guilty of something. Lulu gave Tidus one of her rare, heart-warming smile.

"Hiya!" Called a familiar, high pitched voice. Tidus acknowledged Rikku and quickly waved to her, giving her one of his classic clean smiles. His attention was diverted back to Yuna as she began pulling him towards the shore. At first expecting to be the lead, Tidus was a little surprised by the force that Yuna had. It was different. But he liked it. "You know, you've changed."

Yuna replied with a giggle, "Well, you've missed a few things!"

"I wanna hear everything!" Tidus could feel the love of all the people lined along the sandy beach of Besaid, it was almost like it was emanating from them. He caught a glimpse of Yuna's eyes as they raced towards the shore. They were filled with a new playfulness that Tidus wasn't used to. It was exhilarating.

Before they reached the mass of islanders, she spoke one final thing, "Well, it all started when I saw this sphere of you…"

Tidus and Yuna now stood on a cliff that overlooked the ruined city of Zanarkand. The Celcius, which had flown them here, was waiting further away, out of sight from the two. This was the very spot that he and all the others had stopped to rest. This was a place they took camp before entering what was left of the great Machina City. Many sad memories about this place flooded Tidus's thoughts, ones which he did not wish to recall. But it was alright. The one that he loved most in the world was with him, and with her by his side he could face anything. They both stood there, a small distance apart, watching the sun beginning to sink over the horizon.

"I got a theory." Tidus started, "I think the Fayth gathered up my thoughts, and put em' together to bring me back. Maybe. Something like that." Yuna listened intently as she was captivated by the sun's rays shining on the water. Tidus glanced at his hands, inspecting them. "Or maybe I'm still a dream."

Fear filled Yuna as her eyes sprung to Tidus. His back was facing her, making it seem like he was afraid to look at her. Her voice quivered slightly, "Wait, so you'll disappear?"

There was a pause. Yuna waited patiently for an answer, though anxiety wracked her frame. Tidus finally turned around, giving her a comforting smile, "Cherish me, Yuna. And I'll cherish you. All right?" A sigh of relief escaped the woman's lips. "We gotta stay together. That's what we have to do." Giving her one last grin, he turned back out towards the sea surrounding the ruins.

Yuna ran up behind Tidus, hugging his waist tightly. "Is that what the Fayth told you?" She asked coyly.

"Nah. But I like it." He chuckled, covering her hands with his. The laughing gradually became louder, until it was hysterical. Then out of the blue, Yuna nudged Tidus off the edge, sending him into a puddle of water a few feet below. He sputtered the dirty liquids in his mouth, spraying them everywhere. He looked at Yuna a little insulted, "That's not cherishing!"

She just smiled at him, "You didn't disappear."

A look of realization covered Tidus's face. Last time he'd fallen off an edge, he'd left her. Not by choice, but even so it was heartbreaking, for her especially. He lifted his hands in the air, scanning them, feeling them. They were solid. No transparency. This time I'm here to stay, he thought. For both of us. They smiled at each other lovingly as the sun was fell into the backdrop, coloring the skies and waters before finally disappearing into the night.

This was a love that outlasted time, faith, and even death itself. It was a dream, but now a dream that was fully conceived and ready for great things. They would share their dreams together, and bring them all to life as they continued love and care for each other until the end of time.

But no matter how hard we wish, no matter how hard we cling, all dreams must and will come to an end.

One way or another.


	3. Chapter 2: One Night

**CHAPTER 2: One Night**

A celebration was to take place tonight, and so obviously a feast had to accompany it. Everyone on the island made sure to lend a helping hand in whatever way possible. It was happening for two simple yet joyous reasons: The unexpected return of Tidus, a man who had done so much for them, and the ever needed cooperation between the three factions that miraculously came to be. A great deal of Spira was coming tonight, and so preparations could not be cast aside for a moment.

"C'mon, put yo' backs into it, ya! Use those muscles! Don't just laze around, get movin'!" Wakka, being the motivational individual that he was, found it to be his duty to keep the crew working at a steady pace. Often times his sense of style and ideal locations for objects was out place, though the fashionable women of the population made sure to correct his judgment.

Of course, there was one particular Al Bhed that found this time to relax. "Ahhh… this is the life." Rikku laid back on a vacant table top, taking a bite into one of the island's indigenous fruits. Golly, they're amazing, she thought wondrously. Figuring no one else was around, her eyes slowly closed, allowing herself to bathe peacefully in the glow of the coastal sun. What she failed to notice, however, was the approach of the two devious minds who were about to ruin her time of relaxation. Soon enough, she felt the flat surface began to tip, and eventually ended rolling 'gracefully' onto the sandy ground. Looking quite unpleased, Rikku saw a snickering Tidus and Yuna. Her expression made them laugh that much more. "H-hey! That's not funny! I could have broken a leg or something!" She exaggerated her point, waving her arms in the air unnecessarily.

"What were you doing on the table anyways, hm?" Yuna tried to look smug, placing a hand on her hip with a stern look. She ended up giggling.

"Uh… umm… I-I was just taking a break! Ya, that's it!" She pumped her fist in the air, "From all the hard work I've been doing!"

"Oh, because chowing down really takes so much energy!" Tidus made sure to emphasize the 'so' for effect. His grin didn't fade.

Rikku, steamed and defeated, threw a small tantrum before walking off to the rest of the working party. "Oh, poopy!" Tidus and Yuna nearly fell over in hysteria. Sure, maybe it wasn't that funny. But they hadn't the opportunity to share any moments with each other for the past two years, and they made sure to make the best of all the time they had now.

"No, no, _no_! That's not right at _all!_ **What are you doing!** You're going to—" CRASH!

The couple looked over in the direction of the temple. Not to their surprise, they spotted a fuming Lulu glaring angrily at her husband. "Uh, heh heh. Lu, it's not that bad, ya? It only lost its head…" Wakka choked out his words, scratching his head in embarrassment.

Lulu at first didn't reply. She merely lifted a single finger. What was peculiar about said finger is that a flame had formed around it. "Wakka, because you're my husband and I _love you_," Her eyes tightened, "I'll give you to the count of five to run as fast as you can. One. Two."

Wakka didn't need to hear anymore than that. He bolted without a word, heading straight for their hut. His saving grace, or rather hope, was that she wouldn't burn their own home down. Unfortunately when Lulu was in one of these moods, there was no telling what she would do. Oh, if only they had an actual door and not just this bloody floral curtain!

Retracting her threatening hand, Lulu chuckled with a small smile, "He always was a little afraid of me."

Wakka collapsed on the bed with a deep sigh. His eyes quickly caught the attention of a small sleeping form atop his bed. Vidina. He loved his son, his adorable son so very much. Here was something, a person that hadn't even been alive for more than a few days, and Wakka felt that he would anything, and he meant anything, for this child. He began whispering to him in a gentle voice, "Eh, when you get olda, don't get on your motha's bad side, ya. If she don't ground you, she'll do worse." A barely audible laugh escaped his lips.

Vidina shifted in his sleep, tugging the blanket off his body in the process. Wakka kissed his son's cheek and carefully covered him with it. Taking a deep breath, Wakka took a peek outside, 'subtly' checking if his wife was ready to speak to him without the use of death threats.

* * *

Among the guests coming were Nooj, Baralai, and Gippal. Upon hearing of the event, all three accepted the invitation graciously in hopes of strengthening ties between the three diverse groups. And heck, after all these near-death experiences, they just wanted a good time.

Rikku yet again escaped her duties, wandering around the empty halls and rooms of the Celcius with no real direction. As long as I'm not working, she thought, I don't care. Having made her way to the bridge, she took her place in Shinra's chair. It wasn't the most comfortable piece of furniture in the world, but it was the coziest thing away from the windows.

Beginning to lay back, she instinctively leaped out of the seat in fright from a loud thud that echoed throughout the ship. "I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'llgetbacktowork—" In the midst of her begging, she noticed no one was in the room. That same sound could be heard again, though listening more carefully Rikku figured that it came from above. Not one to fight her curiosity, the blonde made her way to the elevator.

As Rikku entered the lounging area, she heard some ruffling up in the girls' sleeping quarters. Enraged, she began stomping up the stairs and tossing out allegations, "Brother, what have I told you about going through Yunie's panties! Just because no one's around—" She stopped mid-sentence, seeing not who she expected. Instead of her sibling, she saw someone in the corner hiding behind the closet. She could barely make out her feet.

"Get out of here, you pest!" The blonde could recognize that annoyed, deep, womanly voice anywhere. "Hey, Dr. P! Whatcha doing up here?" She asked gleefully.

"N-nothing. Just leave and I'll meet you outside!" Anxiety could easily be heard in her voice.

"Aww, c'mon Painey! Don't be so--"

"Call me, _Painey_ again, and I'll show you a world of hurt."

"Eeep!" In a moment when she would normally flee for her life, a cruel grin formed on her lips. "Well, why don't you come over and gimme some?"

Paine groaned in agony.

"C'mon Paine, what are you trying to hide?" Rikku gasped, "You're not doing anything weird up here, are you? Is there a guy under—"

"**No!**" She detested even the mention of such a thought.

"Just come out, girl! C'mon, please!" The blonde pleaded, going as far as to falling on her knees with her hands clasped together. Puppy pout, she thought, puppy pout.

With a sigh of defeat, knowing she wouldn't go away until she got what she wanted, Paine gradually revealed herself. Her face, which looked quite unpleased and flushed, would not meet the blonde's eyes.

Rikku smiled with satisfaction. And awe. "Paine, you look great!" She neared the dark woman and pulled her in for a hug. She wore a red, strapless dress, with a rose pinned to the top. The lower portion went down to her ankles and it matched her black heels perfectly. She also had a pair of lacey thin, black gloves which nearly covered her entire forearms. It wasn't anything extraordinary, but it suited her quite well considering seldom did she ever even glance at one of these things. Although Paine would not admit it, it did look rather nice on her.

Pushing the bubbly woman off forcefully, she retreated to her previous position. "I just decided to try something new, that's all." Even without the face as an indicator, Rikku could hear the defiance in Paine's voice.

"Hmm… were you dressing up for anyone special? A certain Monk named," She paused for effect, "Baralai!"

Paine refused to give any sort of explanation for this, and with nothing left to go on, Rikku took it as the definite answer. "Oh, you're acting so cute, Painey! Come on, we have to show everyone!" Rikku reached around the corner and grabbed the woman's hand, though she roughly tore out of her grip. "Aw, c'mon Dr. P! Don't be so… so…"

"I am _not_ going out there like this!" Paine came out of hiding again to show how serious she truly was. "Look, be proud your small, bleak mind could witness something out of the ordinary. Now get out!"

"Fine, I'll just tell everyone about your little dress-up party for Baralai." Rikku said this rather subtly, in a way that made it almost threatening. Yet it was weak as her words began to fade off near the end, her courage fleeting as she realized that she shouldn't have said anything.

The sophisticatedly dressed woman began taking a few aggressive steps forward. She began removing the gloves, not wanting them to get damaged in the beating she was about to lay on this pest.

Rikku shielded her face and crouched down to the ground, pleading to her, "Nonononono! I was just trying to say that it's not always a bad idea to dress up and you don't always have to be a mean, old grump!" She waited for the hurt to come. Surprisingly, it never did. All that she heard was a heavy sigh coming from her violent friend. Feeling it was safe to be vulnerable, Rikku moved her arms out of their defensive position and stood up. "Heh heh, I thought you were going to destroy me."

"You are so damn annoying sometimes." Turning to the closet, Paine began removing her dress and all of the other accessories. "I'll wear it tonight, and no earlier. Do not tell anyone until then." Her words were sharp. "Or else."

Nodding, Rikku began heading towards the stairs. "I'll see you out there, Dr. P!" Before she entered the elevator, Paine could hear the girl speaking to herself, possibly her as well. "Tonight we're gonna show Baralai a whole new woman!"

Paine rolled her eyes. Fitting back into her regular tight-fit leather clothes, she stashed away her formal attire back into their rightful place. Storage. If only that lazy ditz would have been outside working instead of trying to getting out of it. Then she wouldn't have found me, I could have tried on the damn thing and gone back without a fuss! She continued these inner strains of complaints, even after making her way outside. Oh, how she despised that dress now.

Brother was moving the supplies that had been unloaded from the Celcius into the village. All strong and trained villagers were suppressing all Fiend activity, some actively seeking them to kill and stop them from disturbing anything, and others were defending the roads so the goods could safely be transferred. Every time he reached the village, Brother would take a few moments to just stare at Yuna, to appreciate her, especially after this last round. He took in every detail: her hair, her eyes, that beautiful face, those curves, that toned body, her rear, her perfectly shaped brea—

"Brother?" The Al Bhed jumped at the sound of Buddy's voice, nearly landing face first into the ground. Brother lay on the sand a little dazed. "What are you doing?"

Leaping up to his feet, Brother tried to formulate an explanation. It was rambling, mostly. "Uh, erm, you see I… uh." He glanced to the side. "I just make sure that blondie do good job!" He nodded excessively to prove his point.

He looked over to see Tidus, as well as Wakka, carrying what seemed to be a very overwhelming wooden pole. It was quite colorful and had a number of carvings covering it. Whatever the case, if two well built men like them were struggling with it, no doubt it was more challenging than their current endeavor. Unconvinced though not caring enough to know, Buddy placed his box on the ground beside the others. "Alright then, well come on. We've got a lot more work to do."

With a deep sigh, Brother released the items in his hands and headed back for the airship. He took one last glance at Yuna, whom he could tell was gawking over Tidus's sculpted frame. Though he wouldn't see, Brother glared at him with contempt and envy. Why couldn't blondie be me.

Finally managing to sink this painfully heavy thing into the hole they'd dug for it, Tidus and Wakka collapsed onto their butts. They had already placed several of them around the village, and it was definitely catching up with their cardio. The entire time Lulu kept a close eye on her husband, making sure that a repeat of what happened earlier would not occur. It was a hot day, and most men were working without any tops. Then again, on this island most men didn't wear shirts to begin with, but that was beside the point. Yuna, who had meant to approach Tidus and Wakka with a drink minutes ago, found herself captured by Tidus's upper body, which was rippled with muscle. She found herself thinking thoughts that had never protruded her mind before, and shook them off by, well, shaking her head. She then continued to stare.

Tidus finally turned and met her eye to eye, causing her to retract her gaze and blush. He found this quite humorous. "And what can I do for you, milady?"

She mumbled through her words, "I was just wondering if," she held up the glass in her hand, "if you'd like some water." She did her best to hide her flushed face while she held out the glass. Well, as much as one can hide out in the open.

"Nah, but there is something else I'd like." He just stared at her with the goofiest grin on his face, not saying a word. She definitely noticed, as her cheeks became even rosier. Gawsh, he loved how shy she was. All of the girls back in Zanarkand, well they knew what they wanted. Yuna was so different. And he wouldn't have her any other way.

"Get a room, ya!" Wakka just shook his head humorously as he managed to pull himself up to his feet.

"I think we will!" That goofy grin on his face grew even wider as he leapt upwards and began walking towards Yuna. She didn't expect him to advance so fast, or at all, really. Being swept into his arms wasn't what she foresaw, but she didn't mind. She actually went along with it, smiling at Tidus deviously and tossing away the cup in her hand.

"I was just joking, ya! Come back!" Wakka did his best to persuade them back, but with no avail. Though he was no longer a follower of Yevon, he still had his beliefs, and anything promiscuous still made him uncomfortable.

"See ya in a few hours Wakka ol' buddy!" The Besaidian's jaw dropped as he watched both of them push passed the screens of a nearby house, vaguely hearing their remarks to each other.

"Holy motha of chocobos… " His eyes rolled back, and the last thing he remembered was catching sight of the clear blue sky before crashing into the dirt.

Tidus and Yuna walked back out, laughing like a pair of coyotes. Returning to their original spot, they noticed an unconscious Wakka sprawled out on the ground. "Maybe we shouldn't do that to him anymore." Yuna giggled as she stepped a bit closer to Tidus.

"Ah, he'll get over it! Man, you should have seen his face! It was priceless!" He keeled over slightly, slapping his knee in laughter. Yuna loved his laugh, loved _seeing_ him laugh. It was weird, because who's attracted to the way someone cracks up? Maybe it was how his face lit up with joy, or how his nose scrunched up. Either way, it put a warm feeling in her heart.

"Eh, what you staring at?" Yuna was brought back to the real world at the sound of Tidus's voice. It took her a second to realize, but she finally noticed that she was staring into space—at the man's chest. She bit her lip and looked down to the ground bashfully.

Tidus held a grin and lifted her chin, making her eyes meet his. He loved staring at them, _into_ them. How many beautiful women had gorgeous eyes gorgeous flashing two colors at once? None, as far as Tidus was concerned. "What you so embarrassed about?"

"Nothing… " Her voice trailed off as her face tried to shy away from his.

"You're cute when you blush, you know." Tidus could have sworn that her face had created an entirely different shade of red.

Paine and Rikku had caught the tail end of the couple's cute scene, both of them laughing at Yuna's predicament. "Looks like _someone's_ got a major crush on someone!" The blonde sat down on a nearby bench.

"At least she's happier now. I haven't seen her like this in a long time." Having calmed down from their previous encounter, Paine took her place beside Rikku. The blonde seemed to be in dream world, as she was staring off into nothing and her voice sounded a bit off from her normal form of speech.

She sighed like a deprived teenage girl, "Tidus might be a good guy, but Gippal is _so_ much bett—" Upon realizing that what she had just spoken was not contained in her head, she shot her hand quickly over her mouth to stop any more stupid words from pushing through.

"Looks like _some_ dumb blonde has a crush on someone." Paine laughed arrogantly as she arose from her seat. She wasn't smiling with a vengeance, on the contrary she actually looked quite normal. After taking only a few steps, Rikku hopped onto her feet and caught up to Paine before she could even blink.

"H-hey, Paine! This is just between you and me, right? It just slipped off my tongue! Ya, that's it! I was just being my stupid, blondish self! So you'll keep this to yourself then, right?" She asked this with all of the hope in the world, though deep in the back of her mind she was screaming, I'm screwed!

Paine stopped for a moment and shifted towards Rikku. "You threaten me, I threaten you." She gave her one last smirk before continuing on with her course through the village, leaving the dumbstruck, regretful blonde behind.

"Me and my big mouth."

* * *

The celebration had begun and all of the guests had arrived. Even the Ronso tribe had come, with the help of Brother and the Celcius of course. Kimarhi was happy to see Yuna again, and described in full detail the statue they had crafted for her, never forgetting to mention how grand the horn was. Nooj had come, bringing along Le Blanc, much to his dislike. She had begged him endlessly to bring her along, and finally he just gave in. Though he stood firm on everything he believed, this woman seemed able to shake him with enough force, and it aggravated him to no end. Still, passed the snide, jealous, clingy woman that he knew her as was someone with a good heart that just wanted to love and be loved. Her giddy behavior made it harder to enjoy himself, though.

Baralai came in one of his fancier suits, one the Praetor was to wear during special occasions. Gippal, not surprisingly, hadn't changed his apparel. There was one minor difference, however. His usual brown leather eye patch was replaced with a black one bearing some Al Bhed symbl that not many could understand. That was, except for the other Al Bhed, of course.

Wakka had nonchalantly placed the Auroch's Crystal Cup in the centre of the main dining table. People noticed it, but not as many people as he'd liked. Later into the evening he slipped one of his most prized possessions, the World Champion, into the chalice. Ironically it was taking more of the attention than the trophy, however as long as people looked in that general direction, Wakka was satisfied.

"She's beautiful, isn't she!" Wakka nudged Tidus and pointed in the direction of the table. The blonde glanced over, seeing Lulu in a fetching black, hand-made dress. It had spaghetti string straps, with a low v-neck. There was quite the lacey design, and it dropped almost to the ground, nearly covering her feet. What was truly rare about the woman tonight was her hair. Instead of being tied up as usual, she'd let it flow down, it easily running to her hips. It looked silky, curly, and though out of the ordinary, made her look beautiful in a way different from her regular allure.

Tidus could only assume that she'd been preparing hours before the party took place. "Yeah, Lulu looks really good tonight."

"No man, the cup, the _cup!_" His hands exclaimed his point as they shot towards the grail of Blitz Ball.

Tidus took a quick look at it before turning back to his friend. He shook his head with a chuckle, "You haven't changed Wakka." With that, he walked off into the crowd.

"Eh, eh! What's that supposed to mean, ya?" He began to pursue his friend, but a little too late. The man had disappeared into the mass of people. "We're ain't finished with dis!"

Rikku mingled amongst the everyone, chatting with friends old and new. While in the midst of conversation, she was abruptly knocked to the ground. She instinctively shot out, "Hey! Watch where you're going!" Pushing herself up, she rubbed her now sore underside.

"Oh, sorry about that, I wasn't—Cid's girl?"

Crap. "Oh… Gippal." She thought it was probably polite to greet him, so she at least did that much. "You should watch where you're going, you doo-doo head!"

Though ruffling his hair nervously, he put on a cocky smile. "Ah, come on now, Cid's girl! You saved my sorry ass a while ago, didn't you? You can't hate me that much if you had the decency to get my hide outta trouble."

She crossed her arms in rebellion. I will _not_ agree with him! "Maybe I just felt sorry for you or something."

"Or something, uh?" One of his arms smoothly made its way around Rikku's neck, making her both uncomfortable and infuriated. "Admit it, you love me too much!"

"No, as a matter of fact, I don't!" She slipped his snaky hand off of her person, dusting herself off as if he was some disease.

Though he sighed in defeat, he refused to wipe the smug look on his face. "Fine, just don't come crying to me when you find out the truth!"

"What truth!?" Patience. Wearing. Thin.

"The truth that you know you can't live a _second_ without me!" He made his way from the aggravated blonde, flashing his trademark grin and wave. This made her blood boil. That expression always seemed to piss her off, though she never really understood why. Maybe it was because—Rikkunonononono! Stupidstupidstupid! Don't think like that!

* * *

Things were finally beginning to settle down as everyone found a place to sit. Tidus and Yuna, unsurprisingly, sat beside one another, enjoying the start of a new life together. Lulu and Wakka were arguing over the future of their newborn son which made it hard for those around them to enjoy themselves. "He'll make a great Blitzer! After me and Tidus train 'em, there won't be no one that can stand up to 'em!" Wakka huffed proudly.

"No Wakka, he could be much more than that!" Lulu interceded, "He should study more, try and help the future of our country! With things as they are, he has endless possibilities!"

"And one of those things could be becoming a great Blitzer, ya!"

"Wakka… " Lulu groaned, rubbing her temples in frustration. For two that loved each other so much, they sure did fight a lot. Was that what marriage did to people? Tidus watched them, wondering if a similar thing would happen between Yuna and him in the coming years? Would they be at each other's throats, too? Whatever the case, he knew in spite of their constant nagging that Wakka and Lulu had a deep love for one another, one that would not be easily broken by such petty actions.

"And I'll always cherish you… " Tidus whispered to himself.

Yuna looked to him with a furrowed brow, "Did you say something?"

"Er, no. Just rambling, or whatever. Nothing important."

As a gratifying fragrance entered the air, everyone shouted one thing in unison, "**Eating time!**" Various people form Besaid were serving the guests. Many were getting jumpy for plates, Wakka especially. After a long, tiring day's work, he'd worked up quite the appetite. Tidus, on the other hand, didn't share his buddy's need for food. As it came in his direction, he found himself taking a minimal quantity, just enough to fill his stomach. It was peculiar, because he'd strained his body in a number of ways today, and it left him exhausted after a job was completed. What was with him?

"Tidus, aren't you going to eat anything?" Yuna held a plate in front of him, sounding a little concerned. Tidus took it graciously without saying a word, though making sure to thank the brunette with a smile. Why don't I feel—whoa! Out of the blue, his hunger struck back like a storm. He felt like he could swallow a whole chocobo!

He called out in near desperation, "Hey, hey! Could we get some of that back here, again!" As some of the platters went against the flow towards Tidus, he snatched food as though it would be the last delight to ever enter his mouth. Even as his plate was full to the brim, he packed more on.

"Tidus?" At the sound of Yuna's voice, Tidus ceased his movements. He turned to face her, giving her an awkward smile, "Uh, I'm… hungry…"

Yuna couldn't help but shake her head and chuckle. "Well, you have been working hard today." She gave him one more smile before returning to her plate, grabbing her fork and knife, ready to dive into her meal. Tidus, who managed to fulfill his desire of edibles, passed down all that had gathered around him, and prepared himself to feast like never before.

"So after discussing a little, Nooj, Gippal and I are finally beginning to come to terms on the new faction comprised of the previous three. We haven't worked out the details yet, but…" Yuna nodded and acted polite as Baralai unloaded his mind, and normally she'd listen more intently. But presently, she had other things on her mind. Does he love me? Of course he does, Yuna, don't be silly. He came back for you, and he's with you now. Shouldn't that be proof enough? Why do I constantly contradict myself? This mental struggle continued on as Yuna got up from her seat and began walking towards the beach. No one seemed to notice. Even Baralai hadn't seen anything as he began rambling on his plans to the other ears around him. No one noticed. Except for Tidus.

His trail led him to the shoreline, where Yuna now sat disputing with herself. "Does he? I wonder. He must though, right?" She sighed. Before screaming, that is, "Why can't I make up my mind!" It took her a few moments to calm down. "He does. I know he does. So why do I still doubt…"

"Yuna?"

In shock from the voice, Yuna jolted around to see a confused Tidus standing on the dirt trail.

"Are you alright? You seem kind of upset." Stepping forward, he made his way down the beach, finding his place at Yuna's side. "So?"

"You could say that. It's just… "

"Just what, Yuna? You can tell me."

Just ask him Yuna, ask him! It's four simple words, and you can't even say them! What's wrong with you? While the battle raged on within her mind, Tidus gave her a concerned, inquisitive look. "Yuna—"

"Doyouloveme." Her words blurred together, becoming one jumbled mess that wouldn't be understandable by anyone. Well, except perhaps a woman.

"Wha?"

Taking a deep breath, she spoke slowly, "Do. You. Love. Me?" Her face turned away to the sand where her finger was drawing scribbles in it. Her face was again flushed, though not quite as much as before.

Tidus was a little taken aback. Why would she even ask that? I came back for her, right? What's she afraid of? He edged himself right against her, wrapping his arm around her affectionately. "Yuna, of course I do! You don't even have to ask something like that! Don't you know?"

She lifted her head slightly, still unable to meet his gaze. "Because what if you fade away again? What if you… what if… you dis…" Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks as she started sobbing, digging her face into her hands. Tidus pulled her in closer, letting her cry over his chest. Had he hurt her this much when he left? How much had he damaged her heart? He almost felt like he couldn't forgive himself, even though it wasn't truly his fault to begin with. All he felt could do now was hold her and let her pour it all out. He massaged her back in comfort, and tried to shush away her sadness.

* * *

Baralai stood a distance away from the party on a hill, not feeling up to doing anything crazy at the moment. He was mesmerized by the moon light that glistened off of the ocean water. It was breath taking; truly a beautiful sight. Behind him he could hear footsteps approaching. Not saying a word, the person placed themselves beside the Praetor. Baralai caught a glimpse of the dress and smiled because he recognized from earlier. "It's nice out, isn't it?"

Paine simply replied, "Yah." She was a little embarrassed, which was quite unlike her because she spoke her mind on any topic and had no problem following through with what she thought was right. First of all, Rikku had to force Paine to wear this dress out in public, which was bad enough. Now the ditz had somehow persuaded her to join Baralai on his little private daydream. Whether the man was feeling awkward or not didn't concern Paine. She was feeling stressed as hell.

"You look lovely." Paine felt out of place after hearing those words, and her reddening face proved that. Her fingers twitched nervously as she tried to remain cool. Men called Yuna lovely, perverts called Rikku the best peep show ever. She was never complimented on her looks—maybe in terms of sword play—but not her physical looks.

Baralai turned and faced this transformed beauty with a confident yet gentle demeanor. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you for a while."

Paine turned to him in return as her heart raced. This was so unlike her. She didn't fall for men, and they certainly didn't fall for her! She was cold, ruthless, and cunning. What did he see in her? "Yes?"

Music conveniently began to play, and even more conveniently helped the mood Baralai was hoping for. He leant his hand out to her, looking at her with a fiery yet controlled passion. "Would you like to dance?"

Everyone was grooving to the music that was being performed by a live band that agreed to a free show, though only on account of the three leaders and Lady Yuna. All were laughing and having a great time, enjoying this blissful gathering of wonderful people. Rikku was definitely enjoying herself more than most, dancing ecstatically to the point where she was almost out of rhythm. It was at the peak of her euphoria that she was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder.

"Who is—oh. It's _you._" Gippal stood in front of her with a small grin.

"Eh, come on, don't be like that! I was just wondering… if you'd like to dance?" Gippal motioned in the air with his hand, and the band transitioned from their roof-raiser to something more soothing. Before she knew it, Rikku was pulled into Gippal's embrace, his hand on her waist with his other grasping one of her hands. Instead of pulling away like her instincts were screaming to, she found herself going along with it, even so much as placing her free hand on his shoulder. It was funny. She loathed this more than anything, and somehow was exactly what she wanted. The Al Bhed man moved his head forward a little, bringing his face closer to hers. "Did I ever tell you this? " "Tell me wha—" The rest of her words were mumbled into Gippal's mouth, as he'd gone in for a kiss. I hate you! I love you, she screamed mentally. Women are so confusing, she thought. I like it, but I hate it at the same time. Or, do I really? Ah, just shut up, Rikku!

When they finally parted Gippal gave a shy smile, "Tell you that, er, well… " He was struggling to find the right words, not wanting to go overboard, but not sound like a kid. "… that I kinda like you, Rikku."

As the two continued to dance, Rikku just stared at him in awe. He had feelings for her? Was it just coincidence that two Al Bhed would share feelings for each other? Or was it more? She didn't care though, and just placed her head between his chest and shoulder. She could only manage to say one thing with an entranced smile playing on her face, "You said my name."

* * *

Yuna had stopped crying for a few minutes now, just allowing her head to rest on Tidus, listening to his heart beat every passing second. She found comfort in this because it reminded her that was here, he was now. He was solid and wasn't going to disappear. That's what she kept repeating to herself. Tidus continued to massage her back and stroke her hair, just trying to be there for her now to make up for his two year absence.

"I'm sorry that I hurt you." She lifted her head, looking at him with a tear stained face. "I wasn't able to tell you how I felt before I left. You told me you loved me, and I wasn't able to reply. Maybe I couldn't. I'm not sure if I could speak anymore. Maybe I was just too scared to say the truth… " Those words scared Yuna. Did that mean— "I wasn't able to tell you how I really felt. I didn't get to say… I love you, Yuna."

Her eyes were wide with happiness as she dove into his body again. Those three simple words finally came out of his mouth, and it filled her with something she'd never felt before. "You do?" With her arms she pulled herself tight to his warm body as much as possible until she could squeeze no further. Despite the smile on her face, a tear rolled down her cheek yet again. But this time, not from sorrow.

"And never anyone else."

They both just sat their together, clinging to one another and enjoying the beautiful atmosphere around them. The ocean waves lapped against the shore, creating a tranquil melody that matched the cool breeze blowing against their bodies.

Yuna began getting fidgety, and soon got up from her comfortable position. "Yuna?" She moved her mouth to his ear, whispering something. As she finished, Tidus nearly choked on his saliva and felt a small twitch in his groin. Dammit Tidus, no!

During his life in Zanarkand, Tidus would have jumped at a suggestion like that. The women there were experienced and knew what they wanted. Though not all, many were just cheap whores that thought they could bum money off of the Blitz star. Being famous definitely had its advantages though, and women was one of them. Thankfully, Yuna wasn't like them. She was caring and sweet, and obviously she had gained much more confidence during his time away, as far as he knew she'd never done anything like _that_ before.

Tidus looked to her, and fighting against what the inside of his pants was telling him, said "Listen Yuna. I… I really want to, but I don't want to rush anything. I mean, you're emotional right now, and I'd feel like I'd—" Without another word, Yuna pushed him to the ground and straddled him, looking down at him with a face filled with a cheeky innocence. "Uh, Yuna?"

She bent down and buried her face into his neck. "I'm ready for this. I've waited two years to be with you. Don't you think that's a long time?"

"Well, yah, but… " Tidus could feel Yuna's weight pressing down on his crotch, though it didn't seem intentional. Strangely enough, that sweet naivety made it even harder for him to keep control. Good God, he stressed in his head.

She raised her head and met his eyes. "You're not taking advantage of me. I want this. I love you so much, and I… I want to do this!" She lowered her face to his, gently locking their lips together. It lasted several seconds before she pulled away and looked at him a flushed face. "I love you."

As she knelt down to kiss him again, Tidus lifted his hand and stopped her. He gazed deep into her eyes, searching deep within her to make sure this was right. Perhaps it was his hormones talking, but he knew deep in his hear that he wanted this as well. This was more than just some sexual rendezvous. It was an act of intimacy between two people that loved each other to the depths of their souls. Tidus gave her a loving smile. "I love you." He pulled her in, kissing her affectionately. Yuna pushed into it, unable to hold back the feelings she had barred away for so long.

This would continue on long into the night, beginning a journey that would breathe new experiences and feelings for both of them. It would lead them down a road that would allow the couple to learn to appreciate each other in ways that had never crossed their minds before. This night of consummation would be a night that would change the very core of who they were.

And everything else.

* * *

On the highest point of the island, a hooded figure in a black cloak stood watching the inhabitants of Besaid take part in their festivities. What caught its attention the most was the interactions between a blonde man and brunette woman, who now were making love on the cold, sandy beach. A flower that was held in his hand moved in motion with the wind, attempting to break free of this grasp and flee into the safety of the sky. That flower would never experience that freedom however, as it was swiftly crushed between a fist and a palm.

Upon opening up its hand, the figure stared at the dead plant, speaking to it as if it were a human being, "They won't escape fate, so why should you?" It then allowed the flower to be carried off with the wind, though it did not stay afloat long as its weight dragged it down to the earth it birthed from. Taking one long, final glance at the two lovers, the figure then opened up a dark portal. Walking through it, he pulled his gaze frontwards, unable to look at the people that would suffer so much in the time to come.


	4. Author's Note

A new chapter will uploaded as soon as possible. I've been rather busy lately—look forward to it!


	5. Author's Note Reprise

Alright, so I haven't been able to start writing YET—but that's because I never really planned out a writing schedule. So here's what I've decided. One to two pages of writing each day, so it will be roughly a week between each chapter. Unless I'm on vacation or unable to access the computer, I PROMISE to accomplish at least this. Now that I have a goal in mind, it won't be difficult to continue writing this.

Thank you for your patience.


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